braces and weight loss

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jennabellaxoxo
jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hi there, I am and adult getting braces tommorow...(self litigating ceramics) and I am wondering if anyone has noticed a weight loss after getting braces..I am not looking to loose..I am just wondring what others experiences are/were...
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  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    I'm confused. Are you talking about braces for your teeth? I don't see how they would have any effect whatsoever on weight loss. Mine didn't.
  • lc504
    lc504 Posts: 130 Member
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    I'm confused. Are you talking about braces for your teeth? I don't see how they would have any effect whatsoever on weight loss. Mine didn't.

    Me either.

    Except the first couple days I did eat much less than usual, because of the pain chewing caused. But... yeah. That went away quickly, so don't see why it would cause weight loss.
  • 1smemae94
    1smemae94 Posts: 365 Member
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    The first couple of days you might not to eat too much because they hurt some, but after that eating habits go back to normal. So it doesn't really cause you to lose any weight.
  • jennabellaxoxo
    jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
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    yes I am talking about braces for my teeth...

    the only three adults that I know that got braces lost lots of weight...none of them had weight to loose either...my friend that was the same exact size as me 5'6" 120 got down to 105 lbs...eek!

    edit to add one of the three people I know is my husband...so I KNOW he was not trying to loose...he actually tries to gain..but he has lost 20 lbs since getting braces a year ago.
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
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    hi there, I am and adult getting braces tommorow...(self litigating ceramics) and I am wondering if anyone has noticed a weight loss after getting braces..I am not looking to loose..I am just wondring what others experiences are/were...

    I was 22 when I got braces, and I actually lost a significant amount of weight after I got them...I'm talking a good 20 lbs. :tongue: I couldn't eat candies, overload on sugary coffee drinks, chips, etc. I had the bulky metal ones, and also had a jaw device put in, so I was pretty limited to what I could eat. It helped break me of my candy habit, though, which was good, since I used to eat candy just about every day! I think a lot of people didn't notice a weight loss because most people are younger, thus not caring about stuff like weight loss, when they get them. Me? I was an adult, and I definitely cared about not breaking them, or ruining the work with overly sugary/crunchy stuff, so I ate REALLY well when I hate them!
  • nevareg
    nevareg Posts: 260 Member
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    This didn't happen to me but it happened to my best friend, she had braces and dropped a lot of weight! For those wondering how, I guess every time you get them tightened you cant eat bc it's painful! She was on liquid diets and no meds for a few weeks until she managed to eat without pain. Good luck, I know from seeing her in pain, it's not fun!!
  • Will_Lift_4_Shoes
    Will_Lift_4_Shoes Posts: 238 Member
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    I am getting braces tomorrow too. I think what they are going to do for my weigh tloss is I have decided to give up sugar (for obvious health reasons) but also because as an adult your roots get softer when you put on braces and increases risk for things like gum disease and cavities. Sugar contributes to these conditions by weakening your teeth. I made sure that I went to the dentist for a cleaning and any work that might be done before I get my braces on. Also my orthodontist recommended that I get an extra cleaning in (so three in a year instead of 2). The key to weightloss isn't in the braces but in the healthy habits we form.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I had them when I was 22-25, and I was rail thin then. I don't think I necessarily lost, but they were quite uncomfortable for a few days after they were tightened.

    I did lose weight unintentionally when I developed TMJ a few years back and couldn't chew normally. But that was like the pain of just tightened braces for 18 months straight, not for a few days at a time.
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
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    hi there, I am and adult getting braces tommorow...(self litigating ceramics) and I am wondering if anyone has noticed a weight loss after getting braces..I am not looking to loose..I am just wondring what others experiences are/were...

    I had them when i was younger, they hurt your teeth for a few days, so you don't eat much, but after that the pain goes away.

    That's not entirely true...it really depends on what kind of work you're having done. Not all braces are created equally. Take it from someone who's invested over $11,000 on their mouth. :tongue: I had metal braces, a thingie that sticks to the roof of the mouth that you have to stick a key into to widen your jaw, a wire connected to my jaw, metal bars that connect your mouth so you can't open them too wide, etc. They definitely had an impact on my eating habits!! :tongue: The pain never went away, it only got worse, and in one instance infected due to the metal cutting into my cheek, and hurt until all of it was taken out, and it took over 2 years.
  • bekah_ann13
    bekah_ann13 Posts: 62
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    That makes a whole lot of sense, it may limit some eating habbits like the poster stated candies, coffee, sodas, tea and what not that may in turn make you shed some pounds but with out all those you will be healthier :) I know you Jenny so I know you eat great already so maybe if you DO lose its not as much. Good luck tomorrow!
  • jennabellaxoxo
    jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
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    I am getting braces tomorrow too. I think what they are going to do for my weigh tloss is I have decided to give up sugar (for obvious health reasons) but also because as an adult your roots get softer when you put on braces and increases risk for things like gum disease and cavities. Sugar contributes to these conditions by weakening your teeth. I made sure that I went to the dentist for a cleaning and any work that might be done before I get my braces on. Also my orthodontist recommended that I get an extra cleaning in (so three in a year instead of 2). The key to weightloss isn't in the braces but in the healthy habits we form.

    I am not trying to loose weight at all...I am slightly below my goal and nervous of loosing too much..

    Yay for braces buddies!!!! :)
  • jennabellaxoxo
    jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
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    That makes a whole lot of sense, it may limit some eating habbits like the poster stated candies, coffee, sodas, tea and what not that may in turn make you shed some pounds but with out all those you will be healthier :) I know you Jenny so I know you eat great already so maybe if you DO lose its not as much. Good luck tomorrow!

    thats what i am thinking too..I already eat pretty well so maybe I wont loose too much..thanks everyone for the well wishes!! :) I am excited and nervous!
  • jennabellaxoxo
    jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
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    whoops double post!
  • m3porter
    m3porter Posts: 1
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    I can't comment on braces, but Invisalign can have a decent impact. The orthodontist will recommend wearing them 20-22 hours per day, and the only thing you can consume with them in place is water. No coffee, no food, no soda. It's a pain to keep cleaning them.

    So, it's easier to just keep them in, drink water, and not eat.
  • kimberly702
    kimberly702 Posts: 369 Member
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    LOL I think I want braces now! ;)
  • jennabellaxoxo
    jennabellaxoxo Posts: 232 Member
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    I can't comment on braces, but Invisalign can have a decent impact. The orthodontist will recommend wearing them 20-22 hours per day, and the only thing you can consume with them in place is water. No coffee, no food, no soda. It's a pain to keep cleaning them.

    So, it's easier to just keep them in, drink water, and not eat.

    lol! ya i think regular braces sound easier than invisalign...

    That's not entirely true...it really depends on what kind of work you're having done. Not all braces are created equally. Take it from someone who's invested over $11,000 on their mouth. :tongue: I had metal braces, a thingie that sticks to the roof of the mouth that you have to stick a key into to widen your jaw, a wire connected to my jaw, metal bars that connect your mouth so you can't open them too wide, etc. They definitely had an impact on my eating habits!! :tongue: The pain never went away, it only got worse, and in one instance infected due to the metal cutting into my cheek, and hurt until all of it was taken out, and it took over 2 years.

    I am getting bands day one I guess...and will probably require some extra assistance from some contraptions b/c I have a pretty bad overbite...sounds like you have done it all!!! eeek!
  • nicksaysnever
    nicksaysnever Posts: 38
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    I had braces all throughout adolescence and I did notice that I made a lot more healthy food choices than most of my peers. There is a lot of junk food that just isn't as fun to eat with braces. So in that sense I suppose it could be a contributing factor to weight loss. But you still have to make a conscience choice to lose weight. Just getting braces won't miraculously make all your weight drop off. Unless, like others said, they are hurting so much you can't eat. Which isn't healthy anyway.
  • CarolAnn0730
    CarolAnn0730 Posts: 79
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    I had my braces as an adult - I was in my early 30's.... I had a day or two after an adjustment that it hurt to eat, but it didn't impact me that much.

    If you're already aware that you do not want to lose weight - you will be conscious enough to do what you need to do to get past those sore days.

    Good luck - they can be painful... but as I tell my daughter... "It's painful to be pretty" :flowerforyou:
  • vmclach
    vmclach Posts: 670 Member
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    i had braces from when I was 14-17.. I remained the same weight the entire time which was pretty thin. I was 5'8" and about 130. As soon as I got them off I started gaining weight. I peaked at about 158 within a year and a half of them comming off.

    idk if it is a result of that or I was just getting older and my matalboilsm slowed down, but eaither way, that is pretty interesting.
  • mommyof5kids
    mommyof5kids Posts: 55
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    I got braces on my lower teeth about 2 months ago.....I have noticed that I stay away from cetain food because my lower jaw hurts when I try to bite into some types of food. I have not noticed a lot of weight loss as of now, but I can say that afte they are tightened it really hurts for a few days and I find myself consuming more liquids for a few days. A friend lost 35 pounds when she had her braces on.......guess I will just have to wait and see. Good luck!

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